JM0115

As Azamara ships are relatively small, how do they handle transatlantic voyages? What has been your experience? I understand that it can depend greatly on the weather and sea conditions, but what have you experienced?

45 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Absolutely agree with you.  We've enjoyed all our Viking cruises and are indeed being quite patient, as we have several cruises lined up in the next 2 years (see my signature).   We'll still keep an eye on how the company comes through the pandemic over the next 3-5 years or so, especially since they have many new ships being delivered.  Sincerely, staffing and training may be one of their bigger challenges.  But no doubt, this is facing pretty much all companies moving forward out of the pandemic.  

I hope that Viking can continue to be a premium if not luxury cruise line. I’m afraid that they have bitten off more than they can chew with their expanded fleet and difficulties with staffing and supply chain after the pandemic. We are past Viking World Cruisers and have one more Viking booked in the future but are also trying a couple of other lines (Azamara and Windstar) to see how they compare and also want Viking to be successful!

11 minutes ago, J80crew said:

My husband and I sailed on Viking Sea, 10 days round trip San Juan, last week. While not as experienced as many on this board, we have done 18 cruises since 2012, when we started. Our first many cruises were on Celebrity, various ships including Edge; we’ve also sailed with Oceania 3 times and Crystal twice. With Crystal gone, we were looking for a new option and Viking seemed to fit. It’s the size we like (about 1000 pax), the right demographic, an itinerary we liked, and of course it gets great reviews. We did not use Viking air; we had a DV4 stateroom. All the pre-board business went efficiently (except I was annoyed not to be able to book dinners when DV reservations supposedly opened—but I was reassured by this board that it wouldn’t matter once on board).  We flew in the night before, stayed at the Sheraton in Old San Juan, and about 11:00 the next morning walked to the pier and got onboard. Easiest embarkation ever! No lines, friendly staff in their red shirts everywhere greeting and directing us, straight to the safety briefing (also easiest ever), and then to Torshavn to check our carry on bags. Nice not to have to lug them around while waiting for our room. We loved the look of the ship, with its clean lines and soft colors, and the more sophisticated atmosphere, with no loud music (or loud guests). We chose the pool grill for lunch, taking our food outside (an embarkation tradition for us). First disappointment: my husband, the cheeseburger connoisseur, said his burger was just okay. My veggie burger, though, was really good. I ordered a glass of champagne (part of the tradition), but was told they didn’t have champagne, just Prosecco. DH asked for dark rum, told there was no dark rum. This, unfortunately, was the case throughout the cruise—both wine and liquor selections were seriously limited. There was no Pinot Noir in any bar or dining room, no oaky Chardonnay, no champagne, the only rum was Mt Gay, and other guests said there was no single malt scotch. It’s a little late to be blaming the pandemic, the supply lines, whatever for this level of shortages; we’ve been on three cruises since the pandemic and none of the others have had this problem. 

After lunch, we were able to get into our room. It seemed small (DV) compared to other ships’ veranda rooms, though the square footage is similar. What we really noticed, though, was the lack of storage space. The closet was fine for hanging clothes, but only three drawers plus the two tiny ones in the end tables, and the one shelf in the closet meant that DH used the desk to stack shorts and polos. I’m glad we weren’t on for more than 10 days!  The bathroom was better, plenty of storage, really good light, a hot and powerful shower. And the Nespresso machine was a definite bonus. There was no magnifying mirror in the room, but when I asked our attendant if it was possible to get one, he delivered it right away. Which brings me to the service issue: the staff could not have been more responsive or friendlier; as everyone says, they are Viking’s best feature. When I complained about a couple of issues (including the wine selection) on the mid-cruise comment form, we received a visit or call from the head sommelier and the cruise director. They didn’t change anything, but they did at least respond to my comments. 
 

In general, we found the food (very subjective subject) to be fine, but not great. No outstanding dishes, either in the Restaurant or Manfedi’s. We did not try Chef’s Table, as none of the menus appealed to us. The World Cafe offered a smaller buffet than we’ve found on other ships, and often the hot food was not really hot. Several times they ran out of certain dishes a good while before closing time. We give both Oceania and Crystal (as it was) higher marks for food. 
 

We did the included tours most days and a paid one once. The tours are pretty repetitive, mostly bus rides with a brief stop or two for a vista and a punch drink. The tour guides were all very knowledgeable and friendly, and the tours met but didn’t exceed expectations. I was surprised that Viking did not offer a shuttle into town on the islands where the main town was a couple of miles from the pier. On the ship during the day there was very little activity. We are healthy, energetic 80-year-olds and we found it, well, dull. We played mini golf and lawn bowling. There was a port talk each day and tea time; Viking promotes its intellectual offerings such as Ted Talks, but that’s really just watching a big TV in the theater. We would have liked some trivia, for example, or other interactive pursuits. They did have trivia twice but at 8:00 in the evening, competing with dinner. Evening entertainment was more varied. We loved the guitar player, John, who played listening music early, but later on would do danceable songs and sing-a-longs. The Viking band played late in Torshavn, a crowded room with a small dance floor, doing mostly rock. We found it hard to dance there because there was too little room for movement. A classical duo and a pianist also entertained each evening, and in the theater the offerings ranged from movies to mediocre stage shows (singers with more heart than talent). 

 

One off-beat but good-to-know bit: DH had a flare-up of a shoulder problem while we were there and visited the medical center. He was impressed by the doctor and nurse and felt he got good treatment. The doctor called later to see how he was doing. Again, great service—and not expensive!

 

Notwithstanding the outstanding staff, we were in the end disappointed in our Viking cruise. Maybe our expectations were too high, but the bar problems, the lack of dining excitement, and mostly, the lack of activities that we enjoy combined to leave us disenchanted. We’re booked on Oceania in the fall and are looking forward to seeing what the new Crystal will bring. Meantime, maybe we’ll try Seabourn.  Happy cruising, all. 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry to hear it did not meet your expectations. I am especially surprised at the lack of wines and spirits this far after the pandemic. Thank you for your review.

27 minutes ago, r&rd said:

We actually stay at the Marriott by the San Jose airport and leave from there - but it is only 5-10 minus away. We have done this cruise 9 times - it's our favorite. The one time we tried flying in the day of the cruise the flight was delayed and with up to a two hour drive to the port we would have missed the ship had it not been delayed because of an earthquake in South America. 

We always go early at least a day!

2 minutes ago, r&rd said:

I always reserve a driver. it is at least an hour drive and often longer with traffic. The cost of a private driver was about $120 last year. The Windstar transfer will cost you more than that if there are two of you.

Is this from SJO?

Thinking of booking a cruise that starts in Puerto Caldera. I assume you fly to San Jose Costa Rica and then take a taxi from there? TIA!

Just now, Scots Caz said:

@JM0115 I had that also but selected 'see if qualify for offers' and put in circle number then 'continue' was available

Interesting.  I guess they are still developing the website.

1 minute ago, cpgrneyes said:

My assumption - it is different than it has been the past year. Also states that Covid vaccination is required which is no longer correct. Likely just went “live” in error, but thought I’d contribute it to this thread.

Thank you.  It looks like I cannot even get that far in the booking. I guess it is a work in progress!  I get stuck here:

5 minutes ago, cpgrneyes said:

Just went online to check on a price and, at least on my iPad, it looks like the booking engine is the new website, but definitely not ready for release!

How do you know it is the new engine?  Thanks,

25 minutes ago, jumelle said:

Does anyone know if any hotels in Papeete offer a day pass? Have a late flight home and looking for post cruise option.

Thanks!

Fare Suisse in Papeete close to port.

Is the only way to cancel an excursion for an upcoming cruise to call them or is there a way to do this online? I cannot find a way to do this. TIA

2 hours ago, Chot50s said:

Another thing to check might be your profile (after you sign in, click your initials in the upper right hand corner then select Profile from the drop-down menu). Check “Offers & Communications” and make sure you’ve opted in for Azamara. That might make a difference on whether or not they send you emails.

Yes- I have Azamara checked for communication.

55 minutes ago, luv2travel90266 said:

As a suggestion register on the website and then put in your booking number. That may be the missing link to getting emails . If you’ve already done that then …..oh well.🙄

Oh well 😀

2 minutes ago, lisiamc said:

Sometimes I get emails from Azamara, more often I don’t. My travel agent doesn’t normally get them either. I’m hoping the change to the new IT system, when it comes, will improve this. In the meantime, I’m grateful for this board! 

I am as well.  Maybe I will regret wanting more emails from them in the future!?!  But they really don't have a lot of communication.

On 2/17/2023 at 10:14 AM, Nuts4pi said:

Here's the entire email received.

We have two bookings with AZ and did not receive this. In fact we have not received any emails from them other than our bookings.  Thoughts?

Just now, Mackdogmolly said:

Enjoy watching the wake!

We currently have 4 cruises on three different lines in an aft cabin. We love the wake! Could watch it all day, which in the case of Azamara is good because it is a transatlantic cruise!

Just now, Mackdogmolly said:

I have been in that cabin on the Quest and noise was not an issue. Sometimes you get vibration at full speed, but it never bothered us

thank you!

Apologize if this has been answered elsewhere. We are booked on the Onward in aft cabin (Veranda Plus) 6093.  It is right above the dining room. Do you think there will be a lot of noise from below? I assume that it will not be an issue at night after the dining room closes but maybe for breakfast?  Some others also say that vibration is an issue.

10 minutes ago, RetiredandTravel said:

Hello   We have never cruised on Viking and are considering a 30 day Australian cruise.  I've looked around but cant find answers to these questions.  Anyone's help is greatly appreciated.

 

1) Main Restaurant - Dinner Main Course Menus - The pictures I've seen quite often show three selections.  Are there other main course choices?  How often does the menu change?

 

2) On a 30 day cruise in a Veranda Suite how often do I get specialty restaurant reservations and how are they allocated?

 

3) Does anyone have examples of the wine lists - Included, Silver Spirits & Connoisseur? 

 

Thanks Again.

 

 

On #2, I believe you can book either 1 or 2 specialty (Manfredi's and at Chef's Table) in advance. Once you are on board you can make reservations at either or both of the restaurants as many times as you like. Once on board everyone is treated equally - no difference no matter what cabin you are in.

5 minutes ago, PirateWife said:

We usually eat dinner at the Patio several times during a cruise. We live in a part of the country where eating outside is a treat. The service is always good. The menu is simple but with enough choices. We can always get something from the buffet--kind of mix and match.

It sounds just like our kind of thing!

4 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

Wow looks like they changed things since we tried the Dawn spa once. Actually couldn't tell you much never got a seat though, every longer was saved with personal items by 8:00am. We did meet a nice couple who were in the hot tub, said they come when the door opens to get a longer and watch the ocean. Only time anybody else was there. Day three spoke with staff they said people would be back after breakfast, nice answer. Hated separate sauna and steam areas, I was on a vacation with my honey not for me. Glad to see it appears updated, but imagine it's harder with the spacing of these window seats. Got OBC for half the trip they were nice about the refund.

Thank you. This convinced me not to get a pass. Don’t need the frustration of chair hogs. Wish people would be more considerate but it’s out of my control.

Anyone have an opinion about the spa on the Star or the Dawn? Is it worth the price?

7 hours ago, Petoonya said:

Snorkeling is all we do when visiting Tahiti, and over the years and especially the last 5 years, have developed a favorite list- rather a "don't go snorkeling unless you use these guys!"

Number 1 not to be missed iis H2O Bora Bora- wow are they amazing. On our last cruise there were several in our group of friends who said they were the best snorkel trip they ever taken. One beauty of their tours is that they have only two boats that accommodate  either a group of four or six, so essentially your're getting a private tour for a price was actually less that those tours with 8-12 people. The result is that you have a captain who is dedicated to making sure that all have an opportunity to experience sea life. For instance in years past in the manta ray "nursery" we used to see 2-3 mantas- with H2O we saw 20-30. With a small group you have the time to do so much more. We went out 2x with them on our 18 day cruise in  2022 August. Do all day including the motu luncheon for a real treat.

Bora Bora's lagoon is my favorite spot in Tahiti

 

Moorea- treat yourself to a again to a private tour 2-4 people- Mermaid Private Boat Tours . More spendy than most, but especially worth it. Warm people who are dedicated to your snorkeling  experience. Also highly recommend are Alex Tours, and  Moorea Adventure Tours (marine biologist onboard). You can book the last two on Viator.

Fakarava- can't miss Fakarava Explorer, atolissant@hotmail.com   He's been doing it for 20 years and now his son has taken over. Fakarava is a pristine paradise and what a day we've always had. O2 Fakarava is a half day intense adventure, number 2 choice.

Tahaa/Raiatea is the place to go for jet ski snorkeling. Are Tours also quite  good. Coral Gardens- spectacular- forget the ship's tours.

Huahine- I'd choose Huahine Dream Tours.

Rangiroa- a few good ones  but we like The Six Passengers. Our last cruise people really seemed to like the ship's tour. The all do the same thing- the Aquarium (gorgeous) and/or drift snortkeling the Tiputa Pass.

Can you tell I love snorkeling, French Polynesia and Windstar? Sorry to be so wordy- been addicted for a long time, and love chatting about it.

Have a fantastic cruise!

 

 

Thank you so much! We are very excited about our upcoming cruise. We decided to do it back to back since it’s so far away.

On 8/24/2022 at 8:15 PM, Petoonya said:

I do not think  you will regret a Wind Spirit cruise. There is nothing like the feeling of watching those sails unfurl and feel the breeze (OK, sometimes even wind) on your skin. And the sunrises! Had a full moon too while we were onboard. As long as you are prepared for some quiet evenings and sea days you'll be content. We can always find a spot on Wind Spirit to enjoy the friendly atmosphere. You can enjoy the company of others or enjoy a book in a cozy spot on deck or in the lounge. Be prepared for evenings with a solo entertainer, maybe some dancing, or the infamous crew show. No elevator but we like the feel of a sailing ship and walking up a few decks to have breakfast/lunch. The show in Bora Bora with dinner is phenomenal as the dinner. Had a guest speaker who was enjoyable.

 

Mostly we like to snorkel and what could be better than Tahiti. The ships tours are fine but the independent tours are even better. I can recommend the ones we used and were most pleased with.

 

The dining this time was a disappointment but 3 years ago was incredible. I think WS just has to get up to snuff post COVID, and new chef comfortable. Because we were on the 18 day we were able to partake in Candles more than the two nights allowed and it was out of this world.

 

The best part is the CREW! So personable and wonderful. Everyone knows your name on the first day and treat you like a treasured guest. They all wore masks the whole cruise and I regret not seeing their kind faces.

 

Met so many nice people who were very comfortable to be around- the ambiance was just right.

 

Please ask any questions you'd like answered.

What independent snorkeling excursions can you recommend?

We are booked on one week of the 7d Dreams of Tahiti on the Wind Spirit Since it is so far to travel to French Polynesia from the US, we thought it might make more sense to add another week - back to back and make it a two week cruise. Please comment if you have done that. What did you do on disembarkation/embarkation day at the end of the first week in Papeete?